swoboda



No. 620.!96. Patented Feb. 28, I899.

H. O. SWUBODA. ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

' (Application filed Nov. 2, 1897.1 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

E 1 f I M I m L m: norms PETERS ca, Puotou'ma. WASHNGTON, n c.

No. 620,|96. Patented Feb. 28, I899.

H. O. SWOBODA.

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

(Application filed Nov. 2, 1897.;

2 Sheets$heet 2.

1N0 Model.)

7&9

MOTOR INVENTOR WITNESSES:

"m: uol-mls PETERS no. PNDYO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HANS O. SWOBODA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC TIME-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,196, dated February28, 1899. Application filed November 2,1897. Serial No. 657,199. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, I-IANs O. SwoBoDA, a subject of the Emperor ofGermany, residing at New York, State of New York, haveinvented new anduseful Improvements in Time- Switches, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to time-operated electrical devices-that is to say,apparatus operated by a clock-movement or other motor driven at auniform speed to make and break the current in an electrical circuit atpredetermined periods of time. In systems of street-lighting bye1ectricity-for instance, where the current is taken from the commercialmains supplying many other consumers it is now necessary to have a manmake the circuit of the system every evening to turn on the lights andevery morning to shut them oif, or in any place where electric apparatusare used it is now necessary to have some one to turn them on or off atthe desired time. My apparatus is specifically designed to automaticallyturn on the current and automatically turn it off from the lamps orother translating devices at a period of time to be predetermined by theoperator and adjustable at will, and by replacing the single-throwswitch by a double-throw switch it also can be used to change overautomaticallyfrom one circuit to another.

The preferred form of my apparatus is illustrated in the accompanyingtwo sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of theapparatus as it appears when the case is hung to the wall or othervertical support and the lid removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thesame, the casing being removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the switchand electromagnetic mechanism for operating the same. Fig. 4 is aperspective detail showing the adj ustable contact-making arms. Fig. 5is a detail section through the axis of the shaft on which said arms aremounted, and Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electrical connections.

Throughout the drawings like referencefigures refer to like parts.

1 is the casing of the clock-movement. (Not shown in the drawings.)

2 is a dial mounted on the shaft 5, driven from said clock-movementthrough the gearing 7 or any other suitable connection. This dial isfigured to represent the twenty-four hours of the day, as shown in Fig.1.

3 is an adjustable arm, mounted on the spindle 5, for closing thecircuit which throws the switch into operative position. 4 is a similaradjustable arm which makes connections which throw the switch out ofoperative position.

6 is a pointer mounted on the casing of the clock-movement, which showsthe time of day by pointing at the figures on the dial opposite.

Located in the path of the adjustable contact-arm 3 is the stationarycontact-spring 9. A similar contact-spring 8 is located in the path ofthe contact-arm 4. These stationary contact-springs are preferablymounted on the casing of the clock-movement and insulated therefrom andfrom one another.

In order to prevent a long period of contact existing between theslow-moving contact-arms and the springs 8 and 9, I mount aninsulating-piece 3 on the end of the arm 3 and a similar piece 4 on theend of the arm 4, leaving but a small portion of the ends of such metalarms exposed. The thumb-screws 2 and 2 render the position of thecontactarms 3 and'4 on the spindle 5 adjustable. The wires 8 and 9complete the circuit from the con tact-springs 8 and 9 to theelectromagnets 10 and 11 through the coils of said magnets,respectively, and the Wires 12 and 13 back to the binding-screw 14,which is connected with one of the poles of an external source ofelectric-current supply, which I will call the supply-current. Thespindle 5, which is in electrical connection with rotating adjustablearms 3 and 4, is connected by means of the wire 35 (shown in the diagramFig. 6) with the other pole of the source of current-supply orsupply-circuit.

16 and 17 are binding-posts to which the terminals 18 and 19 of thesupply-circuit are connected, and 14 and 15 are binding-posts to whichone end of the knife-blades of the switch, operated by theclock-movement, are connected. 12 and 15 connect the bindingposts 16with 14 and 15 with 17, respectively. The magnets 10 and 11, which arethus alternately energized by the passage of current through them, bythe rotation of the adjustable arms 3 and 4 operate, a switch, which maybe of any convenient form, but which is preferably constructed as shownin Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

20 20 represent the knife-blades of an ordinary two-pole single-throwknife-switch, which knife-blades have their pivotal ends 3-1 connectedwith the binding-posts 14: and 15, as before mentioned, while the otherends of said knife-blades make contact with the ordinary spring-clips 2424. These springclips are connected with the binding-posts 30 31, towhich the terminals 32 33 of the workcircuit are attached. Although thedrawings represent a double-pole single-throw knifeswitch, it can easilybe seen that any other kind of a knife-switchas single-pole,triplepole,ordouble-throw-can take its l ce without changing the actionof the app; atus.

21 is an oscillating frame which is pivoted on the supports 25 25, whichsaid supports also carry the magnets 10 11, the latter being rigidlyfixed to such supports. The swinging frame 21 carries the armatures 2121", which are respectively controlled by the pole-pieces 27 and 28 ofthe magnets. The swinging armature thus formed has an extension 22,preferably provided with a weight 22 on its extremity, which extensionpasses through an enlargement or slotted opening 23 in the crosspiece20, which connects the knife-blades 20 20 of the switch. The magnets 10and 11 are held together and supported by the plate-supports 25 25. Thescrews 29 29 serve as pivots for the swinging frame 21 of the swingingarmature. The magnets, their pole-pieces, and their armatures are shownfor the use of direct current. They can, however, be laminated for useof alternating current.

The mode of operation of myinvention is as follows: The dial 2 beingproperly set and the clock-movement, which may, for example, be aneight-day movement, being wound up the pointer 6 indicates the time ofday. The extremities of the stationary spring contact-pieces 8 and 9 arediametrically opposite to the pointer 6. If it is desired to turn on thecurrent at nine oclock in the evening and it is now one oclock in theafternoon, as indicated in Fig. 1, the adjustable contact-arm 3 will beplaced in the position shown, coverin g the figure 9 in the upperhalf ofthe dial. If current is to be shut off at three oclock in the morning,the contact-arm at will be placed in the position shown, covering thefigure 3 in the lower half of the dial. The weighted extension 22 of theswinging armature holds the said armature on whichever side of thecenter of oscillation in which it may be left, and in the presentassumed case said armature will be in the position shown in dotted linesin Fig. 2 and the switch will be open. XVhen the hour of nine isreached, the springcontaet 9 will snap down oif of the insulating piece3 and make a momentary contact with the extremity of the rotatingcontaet-arm 3. This will send a current from the bindingpost 17 throughthe wire 35, the contact-arm 3, the stationary contact-spring 9, thewire 9, the coil of the magnet 10, the wire 12, bindingpost 14:, andwire 12 back to the otherbindingpost 16. The energizing of the magnet 10will cause its pole-pieces 27 27 to attract the armature 21 strongly.The swinging armature and its frame will begin to move, and after ashort period of idle motion its extension 22 will strike one extremityor side of the slotted or enlarged opening 23 and carry the knifeblades20 of the switch over to the right-hand position and into contact withthe springclips 21 2%, thus closing the connection from thesupply-circuit through to the work-circuit. The contact of the spring 9with the adjustable contact-arm 3 being only momentary there is littletendency to burn out the contact-surfaces. XVhen the hour of three inthe morning is reached, the contact-spring S will snap down 011' of theinsulating-piece 4. and make a momentary contact with the rotatingcontact-arm 1. This will send the current from binding-post 17 throughwire 35, adjustable arm 1, contact-spring 8, wire 3, coil of the magnet11, wire 13, binding-post 14, and wire 12 to the other binding-post 16.The energizing of magnet 11 by the passage of the current through itscoils causes its pole-pieces 23 28 to strongly attract the armature 21"on the other end of the swinging frame 21 and oscillates the saidswinging frame from the position shown in full lines, Fig. 2, to thatshown in dotted lines. The first portion of this movement of oscillationwill be made freely by said swinging frame, and the momentum thusacquired by means of the weight 22 will enable the extension 22 of saidswinging frame to lift the knife-blades 20 of the switch from the graspof the springclips 24:, when said xtension 22 shall strike the otherside of the enlarged opening 23 in the cross-piece 20, which connectsthe knifeblades. This cross-piece 20 is of course insulated from theknives of the switch. The continued motion of the swinging frame 21 willlift the knife-blades entirely out of engagement with the clips 24 24:and the switch will be opened and the current cut oif from thework-circuit. 3y loosening the thumbscrew 2 the contact-arm a, whichopens the circuit, can be adjusted to any hour, and a further looseningof the thumb-screw 2 will permit a similar adjustment of the contactarm3, which closes the circuit.

The advantages of my construction lie in its simplicity and certainty ofaction and in its durability. The making of momentary contacts onlymeans saving of electrical energy, and the feature of allowing theswinging frame to acquire a certain degree of momentum be fore it beginsto operate the switch makes the said switch a quick making and a quickbreaking device without increasing the size of the magnets beyond thepractical point. The swinging frame having its center of gravity abovethe pivotal point will be held permanently in whichever position it isleft.

Of course various changes could be made,

in the details of my invention so long as the principle of operationherein described is preserved. Other forms of switch could be employed.A less or greater number of magnets could be employed which might bedifferently located in reference to the armature. The adjustablecontacts might be stationary and the cooperating contact-pieces bepermanently fixed upon the dial. The current for energizing theelectromagnetic mechanism might be supplied from a separate source, &c.;but all these modifications would be within the scope of my invention.

Having therefore described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto protect by Letters Patent, is

1. In a time-switch, the combination with a motor device, of a pair ofcontact-arms and a movable dial adj ustably mounted upon the spindle ofsaid motor device and adapted to be driven at a constant speed, a pairof stationary contact-pieces located in the path of movement of saidarms, an electrically-operated switch in the working circuit, comprisinga switch-blade, an electromagnet, a swinging armature oscillated by theenergizing of the magnet, and a loose connection between the armatureand switch-blade, which permits a movement of the armature prior to thatof the switclrblade in the direction of the common motion.

2. In a time-switch, the combination with a motor device adapted to makeand break circuits at predetermined times, of an electrically-operatedswitch, comprising a switchblade, an electromagnet, a swinging armaturepivoted below its center of gravity and oscillated by the energizing ofa magnet, and a loose connection between the armature and theswitch-blade, which permits the armature to acquire momentum prior tothe movement imparted by it to the switch-blade in the direction of thecommon motion.

3. In a time-switch, the combination with a motordevice, of apair ofcontact-arms, and a dial adjustable upon the spindle of said device anddriven at a fixed speed, a pair of stationary contact-pieces located inthe path of movement of said arms, a pointer, a switch in thework-circuit, a pair of fixed magnets respectively in circuit with saidcontacts, a swinging armature alternately oscillated in oppositedirections when energized by the respective magnets, and a looseconnection between the armature and the movable portion of the switch,which permits of a movement of said armature prior to the movement ofthe movable portion of the switch in the direction of the common motion.

4. In a time-switch, the combination of two electromagnets, a swingingarmature pivoted below its center of gravity and oscillated by thealternate energizing of the magnets, and a contact-switch, the movablepart of which is located in the path of movement of said armature andadapted to be actuated by said armature after said armature hastraversed a part of its normal distance of movement.

5. In a time-switch, the combination of an electromagnet, a swingingarmature pivoted below its center of gravity and provided with aweighted extension and adapted to be oscillated by the alternateenergizing of the magnets, and a contact-switch, the movable part ofwhich is located in the path of movement of said armature and adapted tobe actuated by said armature after said armature has traversed a part ofits normal distance of movement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

HANS O. SWOBODA.

Witnesses:

A. PARKER SMITH, J. E. PEARSON.

